Page 3 of Whispers of Redemption

“Admit it,” Ani said. “You loved it. You haven’t raced in like, what? Five years?”

“Six,” Cassie said. “I quit when I was only a little older than you.” She gave Ani a meaningful look.

Ani just stared back at her.

Cassie sighed. “Never mind, we’ll talk about this later. Right now we need to figure out how we’re going to sneak you back into the house so that the Jerk and the Joke don’t realize how long you’ve been gone.” Cassie used the nicknames she and Ani used for Ani’s current foster parents, Mack and Lila Daugherty.

“Yeah,” Ani said glumly, sinking back into the seat. “I don’t think I can handle another one of their punishments.”

Cassie immediately felt contrite. She reached across to grip Ani’s hand in sympathy, giving it a squeeze. “I wish you’d let me make some changes so that I can become qualified to take you. I’ve told you before, I can just quit school for now, and get a higher paying full-time job, then—”

“No!” Ani said fiercely, “I will never let you do that, Cassie. I know how important your goals are to you.”

“You’re more important,” Cassie said simply, then added, “At least say something to your caseworker about them. I don’t understand why you won’t.”

“Because,” Ani sighed, looking out the window into the darkness. “I know this may sound lame to you, but I have a great group of friends now. And you know how it is. They’ll move me somewhere far away from here where I won’t be able to see them, or you for that matter.”

Cassie knew she was right. She started the engine. And then, just because she suddenly felt so much anger and frustration, she yanked up the emergency brake and jammed the accelerator again, making the tires spin and smoke for several seconds before shooting off in the opposite direction of the cops.

CHAPTER 2

The next afternoon, Cassie and Ani stood at the top of the Big Sable Lighthouse. It was unusually cool for a July day, and puffy, white clouds scuttled across the wide-open blue sky. A strong gust suddenly whipped Cassie’s long, auburn hair into her face, and she smoothed it back with both hands, tucking it into the neck of her sweatshirt to keep it out of her eyes.

She and Ani had grown close when they’d been placed in the same foster home over ten years ago. Ani was only four at the time, and it was her first placement. But at the age of fourteen, Cassie had been a veteran of the system. She’d immediately taken Ani under her wing and the little girl idolized her, following her around everywhere. When Cassie was forced to move on to a new home, she’d promised to always keep in touch with Ani. And she’d successfully kept that promise. The two of them made it a priority to spend time together each week. Between Cassie’s busy schedule and Ani’s high school activities, however, that usually meant weekends. They would often work on cars together, hang out at the beach, or take hikes.

Whispering Pines had a gorgeous state park and was home to two of the three lighthouses that were strategically spaced along a thirty-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline. The Big Sable Lighthouse was Cassie’s favorite. She and Ani often hiked the two-mile path out to the mid-nineteenth-century structure. The black-and-white tower rose over one hundred feet. It sat nestled among jack pines and offered breathtaking views of undulating sand dunes and the white-capped waves of the great lake.

Ani’s own dark hair flew about her face, but lost in thought, she didn’t seem to notice. Then she turned to look at Cassie, tucking her hands into the sleeves of the pale yellow sweatshirt she wore. “Thanks for hanging out with me today,” she said. “After last night, I wasn’t sure if you’d still be mad at me. That was such a close call with the cops.”

“Mhm.” Cassie gave her a sidelong look. “You’re lucky I’m the forgiving type.” She glanced down at Ani’s feet. “I wasn’t sure you’d be able to do the walk today, what with your sprained ankle and all.”

Ani at least had the grace to blush at this. “I’m sorry, Cassie. Really! I know I shouldn’t have tricked you like that.”

Cassie made a non-committal sound and looked out at the rolling waves.

“And I totally deserved to twist my ankle for real,” Ani continued, looking down at the ankle in question. “I’m just glad that officer’s advice about icing it helped so much.”

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